Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sunybcs!rutgers!ucsd!ucbvax!pro-sol.cts.com!lbotez
From: lbotez@pro-sol.cts.com (Lynda Botez)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Graphicwriter 3
Message-ID: <17738.apple.net@pro-sol>
Date: 11 Mar 90 02:40:46 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 63

Well, I have this program, and I had to admit I'm pretty impressed with its
capabilities.  I've used Aldus Pagemaker for the Mac, and while it's not
exactually as powerful a program as Pagemaker, I am quite satisfied with it
for the Apple IIGS.

The documentation is okay, but I consider the guided tour that's included
rather sketchy.  However, it's adequate, and will get you up and running in a
few hours.

It comes with it's own driver for the Imagewriter.  You select their driver
from the control panel -- which is incredibly better than the one that comes
with your system disk.  The output is quite remarkable.  I would say it's the
best looking output I've seen on an Imagewriter. 

I had to whip up a one page flyer for my office.  I had to import a graphic (I
chose a Print Shop GS graphic for simplicity's sake).  It came out incredibly
good.  

Basically, you have to load in the fonts you wish to use (the computerese for
this is "Customizing the Font Menu").  You get something that resembles the
Font/DA loader for the Mac.  Real easy.  Then you specify stuff for page setup
(such as paper size, margins, "orientation" (another one of those buzzwords
for what direction your paper is facing); and number of pages.  If you're
writing a newsletter, you need to set up Master Pages (for stuff you'll be
repeating on other pages, such as page numbers, justification, what have you).

When you open the document window, you can select various ways to view your
document.  One is Actual Size (guess what that is?)... another is Tall Text
View (where you can actually read what's on the screen ... it's a little
squeezed but visable); the other is Fit in Window (where you can see the whole
document, but only god knows what it says...).  In order to type (or import)
anything (text, graphics, etc) on the screen, you first have to create a
frame (using the arrow tool).  You just click the mouse, and drag until you
have the frame you want.  When you click it into place, you'll see funny
looking top and bottom handles on the typing frames.  For those who are still
reading this; you can adjust the frames by grabbing one of the corners of the
frame; or lengthen the frame by grabbing the big handle on the bottom.

It's very simple to place a thick (or thin for that matter) line around any
frame, or around the entire document.  Importing pictures is relatively
simple, except for a full page SHR picture, which has to be imported in two
parts and connected together somehow (I didn't get that far, but then I didn't
think I'd be doing that anyway).

For newsletters, you set the number of columns you want, and voila; they
appear.  Then you make frames for your text or whatever.  You can adjust the
text to be ragged left, right, centered, justified, etc. etc.  You can use all
kinds of fonts, sizes, outlined, bold, etc. etc.

Importing text:  there are translators for Appleworks files, Applewriter, Bank
Street Writer, Mousewrite, and one that's called "Univeral"
(catch-what-catch-can).  You just select "import text"; place it in the frame,
and it gets moved over.  There's a text wrap option when you insert a picture
(skip over, wrap around, wrap to or none if you want the text to run over or
under an object).

Importing graphics:  there are translators for Print Shop Graphics, and
single, double and super hires.  Graphicwriter uses dithering; the program
tries to match the colors are good as possible

more later

Lynda